JMPC Newsletter for the week of July 16, 2021

Updated for the week of July 16, 2021

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone is having a great week and able to get out and enjoy the sun when it sneaks out from behind a cloud.

As you know, the Province is moving into Stage 3 of the reopening today which is a little earlier than planned. We received a Ministry Memo and updated Directive on July 14 that takes effect today! With this, there are BIG changes that LTC Homes are to implement.

Here are the highlights:

Removal of twice weekly COVID testing (PCR and Rapid Antigen) for all those entering the LTC Home who are FULLY vaccinated. (Note: Fully vaccinated includes both vaccine doses + 14 days).
For those choosing not to provide proof of vaccination, or refusing vaccination, they are considered not fully vaccinated and will continue with the twice weekly surveillance swabs.
Children between 3- 12 years of age will require a rapid antigen test on day of entry if entering the Home.
Removal of eye protection except if entering a room on contact/droplet precautions or if we are in outbreak
Reduce from 2x daily resident screening to once daily screening/temperature check
All residents have now returned to the main dining rooms and we have removed the plexi glass barriers
Visitors/essential caregivers who are fully vaccinated can eat food with the resident (who is also fully vaccinated) Families can book the Gibbard dining room (there is one on each home area), 2^nd floor library for their meals by calling Colleen York at reception Monday – Friday 8:30-4:30pm. You could also consider having your meal in the tea room although this space is not booked in advance. Your mask can be off only while eating / drinking. Please ensure to re-apply your mask when finished. (we are not going to start selling meal tickets until July 23)
Tours of JMPC can once again resume for those considering admission to JMPC.
All residents (despite vaccination status) can go on short or temporary absences including overnight. (overnights need to be pre –arranged)
No limits on number of people per resident for indoor or outdoor visiting but screening at the front door including temperature is ongoing. Please note that if visiting in a resident room – there is a maximum of 4 people in total permitted in the room (includes resident)
Fully vaccinated essential caregivers / general visitors can have close contact such as holding hands. (This will be a visual cue magnetic name tag with a checkmark so staff are aware of who is fully vaccinated) Please hand this in at the end of each visit.

Outdoor Entertainment:

You may hear us singing for blocks because we can finally have musical entertainment again!! This is something the residents have really missed and our first outdoor concert is already set to take place on Sunday July 18 at 1:30pm featuring The Full English Band.

General Visitors

These visits will continue to be permitted Monday – Friday this coming week. Once we experience our first week of these big changes, we hope to be able to remove this restriction. We are unsure at this time, of the volume of people this will involve nor are we aware of the number of rapid antigen tests that we will be required to conduct. A decision as to next steps will be communicated in next weeks newsletter.

Keeping Safe and Healthy:

These are significant changes for LTC Homes. We cannot stress enough the importance of ongoing attention to frequent hand washing/sanitizing. It is also incredibly important that if you are feeling at all unwell, that you postpone your visit for a later day. We want to keep everyone at JMPC healthy so we can enjoy all of your visits and this loosening of restrictions.

If this is your first time reading our newsletter, I would encourage you to go to this link where you will find the previous newsletters should you wish to view them. Should you ever not want to receive these newsletters, please follow the prompts on the newsletter at the bottom to unsubscribe. Also, if you ever feel that you would prefer to not have a picture of your loved one included in our Family Newsletter, please reach out to Bobbie-Joe at bblackburn@lennox-addington.on.ca or by calling at ext 7224.

Angela Malcolm

Director

Did You Know?

As of yesterday, our vaccination status is as follows:

Percentage of residents who have received 2 COVID Vaccine doses: 89%

Percentage of staff who have received their first COVID vaccine dose: 94%

Percentage of staff who have received both COVID Vaccine doses: 80%

Percentage of Essential Caregivers who have received 2 COVID Vaccine doses: 42%

Visiting Hours

Given the increase in screening that will be required as we continue to re-open our doors, we do need to initiate no entrance/exit daily between the hours of 12:15 – 12:45pm and 5:15pm- 5:45 pm. This will allow staff to take breaks and complete required tasks associated with the screening and infection control processes.

If you (as an essential caregiver) are coming to assist your person during the meal time in their room, please ensure to arrive prior to these times as the door will not be manned during the non-visiting hours listed above.

If the resident requires assistance to get outside and you are not able to enter the building to pick them up, the visit will need to be pre-booked using our online booking tool - picktime here.

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General Visitor Visiting – General visitors will be permitted into the Home Monday – Friday between 10am – 7:00pm. No general visitors inside on weekends. Please ensure to allow yourself enough time to have your rapid antigen testing completed prior to 5:45pm on the day of your visit.

All indoor visits with general visitors must be pre-booked using our online booking tool here.

Vaccination Clinics

Local pharmacies participating in the COVID-19 vaccine pharmacy clinic are now listed on the

KFLA Public Health website.

Provincial Vaccine Booking (for 1^st or 2^nd dose)

Eligible groups can use Ontario’s vaccine booking system to find out how to schedule an appointment, or can call the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900. For general inquiries, individuals can call the Provincial Vaccine Information Line number at 1-888-999-6488 or TTY service is also available by calling 1-866-797-0007. Appointments can also be scheduled directly through public health units that use their own booking system, and through participating pharmacies. Select primary care providers are also reaching out to book appointments

Everyone 12+ years old is now entitled to receive their 2^nd dose now without the extended wait time in between doses!

COVID-19 Testing

for Essential Caregivers Not Fully Vaccinated

You are required to have 2 COVID tests each week if you are not fully vaccinated.

You will need your regular COVID swab that you have at a COVID Assessment Centre which you will need to have at some point between Wednesday and Sunday each week. (please do not have your tests on back to back days)

The second swab is the Rapid Antigen Test which will be done at JMPC in our tea room. We will be offering this test on Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s at the times listed below:

10:00am – 7:00pm each day

NOTE: Shift Change will result in delays for non-staff.

Shift change that occurs during testing times are 2:30 and 6:30pm

Exception: If you visit only once per week then you only require the one weekly COVID swab from the COVID Assessment Centre.

The Rapid Antigen Test must be done here at JMPC and will take place in the tea room area. Staff will provide you direction at the time. This test is strictly a surveillance screening test for those who present without symptoms. It is viewed as an addition to the screening tool process.

Should an individual test positive using this Rapid Antigen test, you would need to have a PCR test completed at the Assessment Center to confirm the positive diagnosis.

Perishable Items: Food being brought in for a resident must be in a container that can be wiped down with our wipes and they will then be delivered to your resident right away.

All other items will be kept for 24 hours prior to being taken to the resident.

What's New at JMPC

The dietary department was very fortunate this year to purchase a Rational Oven for our kitchen. Rational Ovens are used extensively in the hotel and restaurant industry but have recently gained popularity in the Retirement and LTC sectors to help bring more efficiency to the kitchen and better quality food to the tables of residents. Have you ever wondered how The Keg cooks your steak perfectly every time? They use Rational ovens!

The Rational is not just an oven. It is an integrated cooking system that utilizes a series of sensors and probes to adjust humidity, air speed and temperature automatically to ensure that the food coming out is cooked perfectly every time. These ovens can bake, steam, grill, sauté, broil, roast, fry and hold food at a safe temperature while maintaining the integrity of the food.

Our cooks here at the home are very excited to get familiar with this machine and put their creativity to the test!

Here is the week’s menu for July 19 - 25.

Program

Here is the week’s program schedule - July 18 - 24

Here is the week’s program schedule for Lilac Knoll - July 18 - 24

Validation Therapy and Dementia

Validation just generally feels good. We all want to have people around us who make us feel understood and supported. That doesn’t change for those living with dementia. It can be really hard for caregivers to provide validation to someone whose reality is so altered from what may be normal or real.

Validation therapy is the process of communicating with someone who is living with dementia by validating and respecting their feelings in whatever time or place is real to them, even though this may not correspond with our “here and now” reality. (Feil 1982)

Quite often, when we engage in conversation with someone with advanced dementia, we find they are not oriented to current time or place. They may ask where their mother is or believe their purse has been stolen. These confused feelings can create anxiety and frustration in the person living with dementia. Validation therapy focuses on entering their reality with empathy and understanding with a goal to reassure them and provide comfort.

STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL VALIDATION:

Edna has advanced dementia and believes her purse has been stolen. She continually asks where her purse is and is becoming distressed.

VALIDATE Edna’s reality and emotional state. “Your purse has been stolen? I understand why you are so upset.”
JOIN Edna’s reality and listen to her perspective. “You need to keep looking for your purse? Well, I need to find someone too. Let’s look together.”
DISTRACT Edna while joining her reality. “Let’s look for your purse over there where people are having coffee.”
REDIRECT or shift Edna’s focus to a new goal of enjoying coffee. “That coffee smells good, let’s have a cup.”

UNSUCCESSFUL REDIRECTION:

DISMISSING Edna’s reality. “Your purse hasn’t been stolen; you must have forgotten where you put it.”
NEGATING Edna’s perspective. “You don’t need it anyway.”
IGNORING Edna’s emotional state. “Don’t worry about it, I will look for it later.”

It's natural to respond to someone living with dementia with uneasiness or discomfort in moments when they are confused. Validating their unusual thoughts or behaviours may seem awkward at first and if so, try smiling, give a nod and listen with open ears. You may just find entering their reality a little less complicated, making life a bit easier for both of you.

Absences from the Home

Ontario is now in Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen.

Effective July 16th the following absences are permitted for all residents (regardless of vaccination status):

· Short Term Outings – Leaving the property for social or other reason but not overnight. This does not need to be booked or approved. However, it is important to note that if the resident is going out with a non-essential caregiver, we will require you to reach out to the charge nurse on the residents floor to arrange a pick up time. Anyone picking up the resident must come into the vestibule and go through the active screening process but do not require COVID testing. Residents who are able to complete these short term outings independently need to ensure they complete the Sign Out Book located just outside the nursing station on the counter.

· Temporary Outing – Leaving the property and includes overnight of one or more nights. For these overnight outings, the ministry requires an advanced approval process for these absences. All temporary outings must go through the Manager assigned to the Resident Home Area. This is the form to utilize. Please note that upon residents return from an overnight outing, they must be isolated, have a PCR test and await the results. Upon receiving a negative result they can come out of isolation.

These Resident Home area extensions below will take you to the Charge Nurse who is the RPN on your persons floor. The RPN is a great person to connect with if you have questions related to medications, health status updates, or general resident centered information. The RN Team Leader extension is an option if you are having difficulty accessing your respective home area or have further concerns.

Manager Point of Contact

For general inquiries related to COVID restrictions, overnight absences or to send your vaccination information:

(For absences please contact the charge nurse as outlined above)

Soon you will be coming back into the Home and we thought it would be great if you could start putting some faces to names.

Angela Malcolm, Director

Hi Everyone

I have been the Director at the Home for 6 years now and could not be happier working in LTC. This year has been quite a bumpy ride but I am thankful to be working in a Home that is so incredibly supported by the County of Lennox & Addington! I have worked in the Long Term Care Sector for the past 33 years both in the private and public sector. Prior to here I worked for Hastings County. I am a Registered Nurse, but prior to that, started my career in LTC as a health care aide! This has been an incredible journey and I am so thankful for all of your kindness, generosity and compassion shown to the JMPC residents and team during this unchartered pandemic that began in March of 2020! The creativity and dedication that has set this Home apart has been AMAZING to be a part of.

I am married with 2 teenage girls and our weimeraner fur baby!

I look forward to meeting you at some point,

Angela

Mandatory Training Videos

Training videos are mandatory for you to watch prior to entering the building

A component of the Directives that the Ministry released includes a mandatory requirement for Homes to ensure that Essential Caregivers coming into the Home receive training on putting on and taking off PPE as well as training on effective hand washing. Below are the 2 video clips for you to view. You will be asked to confirm at the screening table that you have watched these 2 videos prior to entering.

Here are short video clips to resources that will help you to understand how to use PPE properly and how to effectively hand wash.

How to put on PPE - https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/videos/ipac-fullppe-on

How to Handwash - https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/videos/ipac-handwash

This training needs to be completed prior to your first visit and then monthly thereafter.

COVID-19 PCR Testing

for Non Vaccinated or those choosing not to show Proof of Vaccination

You will require an appointment.

You can pre-book your weekly appointment online here.

Greater Napanee COVID-19 Assessment Centre

Westdale campus at 12 Richmond Park Drive, Napanee.

Hours are 8:30-3:30 Monday - Friday.

The link to access your results for this testing is here.

Infection Control from the desk of Emily Sarley

It is very important with these big changes that we remain extremely vigilant regarding your own health symptoms, hand hygiene, mask use and physical distancing. Washing your hands with soap and water or alcohol based hand sanitizer is vital to reducing the spread of viruses.

Essential Caregiver Designation

The Ministry of Long Term Care updated visiting policy requires written documentation that supports the essential caregiver designation. As a result, we have created a PDF form that you can open electronically and fill in the blanks. There are a couple of options to return the form to us via email or fax. Alternatively, we will have hard copies of this document available with the screeners at JMPC where you can complete and drop off to them.

Essential Caregivers must submit this form to be approved as an essential caregiver prior to their visit in order to be permitted into the Home.

Should the resident/POA wish to change an essential caregiver, a new form will need to be submitted in advance.

ZOOM Visits

Zoom is a great way to connect with your loved one.

It allows you to see each other while talking together.

Book your Zoom Visits online using Picktime!

We ask that visits be scheduled a day ahead, and that weekend requests are completed by Friday at 2pm. For zoom visits, you will receive a confirmation email first. Then, 1 day prior to your zoom visit you will receive the zoom link emailed to you from the Home.

Please book your Zoom visit using this link: https://www.picktime.com/JMPC

If you have any questions or unable to access this online tool, please call 613-354-3306 and someone will help you Mon-Fri during business hours.

Need to Cancel your Booked Visit?

The booking site doesn’t have that feature to cancel yourself online unfortunately. So to cancel an appointment: Please contact Colleen. Please email her at cyork@lennox-addington.on.ca or call her at reception during business hours(main line)

Message from the Chair of Family Council

Family Council is composed of family and friends of the residents of the John M. Parrot Centre and dedicated to the promotion and improvement of the health, welfare and happiness of all residents at the John M. Parrot Centre.

Family Council, a time for sharing, caring and supporting.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have concerns or simply need a listening ear.

Take Care,

Gwen

Gwen Babcock

gbabcock@mycando.ca

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Alzheimer's Society

Around the Home

Disney Day at JMPC

Even the staff got in on the fun!

Canada Day Water Fun on the balcony

Baby Birds on the front balcony

Forms That You May Require

Paper Copies of the Weekly Newsletter – Available at the Resource Centre right behind the screeners.
Essential Caregiver Designation Form – Click here
Overnight Absence Request Form – Click here